Take My Hand
by JustOneLittleProblem
Summary: When Rose is saved by a man in cricket whites, she doesn't realise that the adventure is only beginning.
1. Chapter 1

It all started on a cold, rainy Thursday morning.

Rose paid no heed to the police box until she saw the young woman sitting out in front of it, crying hysterically. Dark haired, she was dressed oddly, in some kind of wine red, velvet jumpsuit with puffed sleeves.

Rose was going to be late, but somehow the girl tugged at her heartstrings. Knowing she was going to catch hell for this, Rose crossed the pavement and sat next to the girl, leaning back against the door of the police box.

Sitting there, Rose waited for a reaction from the young woman. After a second, she got one. Her sobs faded from the frantic, desolate cadence Rose had heard earlier. The girl hiccuped once, and glanced at Rose through her fingers. "What do you want?"

The girl had rather a posh accent, Rose judged. Rose sat back, thinking carefully about her words. Honesty works, Rose decided. "My name's Rose. I just wanted to make sure you're alright. What's your name?"

The girl sniffed a couple times and swiped hard at her eyes before answering. "Nyssa."

Rose watched Nyssa carefully, gauging her reaction. She didn't want to make the poor girl any more upset. "What happened?" Rose asked gently.

Nyssa let out another wracking sob before managing to answer. When she did speak, it was almost inaudible. "I was traveling with three friends. One of them died in an explosion. It was horrible. We couldn't even bury him."

Rose patted her arm, feeling a great rush of sympathy. But she couldn't quite bury the suspicion that Nyssa was hiding something. "What was his name?"

Nyssa looked away, her voice shaking slightly. "Adric."

Suddenly starting to wonder, Rose glanced around. "Where are your friends? You shouldn't be cryin' out here all alone."

Nyssa looked darkly amused through her tears. "Tegan ran off in a huff, and I haven't seen her since. The Doctor is in our… hotel room, moping."

Puzzling over both the name of Nyssa's friend, and the fact that Nyssa obviously hadn't meant hotel room as her first choice of wording, Rose happened to glance at her phone, and recoiled like she'd stuck her hand in a hot skillet. Rose leapt to her feet, startling Nyssa. "Bloody hell!" She yelped, slinging her satchel over her shoulder.

Poised to bolt, Rose glanced back at Nyssa. "If you need anything, I work at Henrik's. Sorry, but I gotta run!"

Later, as Rose stood at the crosswalk on the end of the block, she happened to look back. Nyssa was gone, but the door of the faded blue police box stood ajar.

After a second, a delicate velvet-clad arm snaked out and shut the door. Rose only had a moment to wonder before the light changed. With a muttered curse, Rose dashed across the street.

Try as she might, Rose couldn't get the strange girl out of her head. Nyssa's words spiralled around her head in maddening loops, as did the image of her disappearing into the police box.

It wasn't surprising, Rose thought, any mystery in her dull, one-size-fits-all life was to be cherished. Rose was dead on her feet, but the prospect of a hot cuppa and some telly kept her motivated to get out of this hellish place, where time seemed to drip like cold honey, and the customers were circling sharks.

Heaving a sigh, Rose dove into a mess of ruined displays in the hope of holding back entropy for a little longer. The minutes rolled slowly by, made slightly more interesting by two customers spats and lots of backbreaking work. Engrossed in her own thoughts, Rose jumped when a voice came over the intercom, as welcome as the sun.

Five minutes to closing.

Taking that as her cue, Rose made an eager beeline for the staff lounge to retrieve her bag and clock out. Leaving, she almost sashayed. As she slipped in behind Shireen and Margo, Rose eyed Billy, the security guard. He was notoriously handsy. Just when Rose thought she was home free, Billy shoved a plastic baggie of colourful notes into her hand.

Rose's heart sank. "What is it?" She asked, although she could guess.

Billy grinned, exposing yellowish teeth. "The lottery money. Take it to Wilson, wouldn't ya?"

With a sinking sensation, Rose could see her meagre plans for the evening going up in smokeless flames. She forced a grin that felt more like a baring of teeth. "Sure thing. Wait for me?"

Billy's sickening grin took on a tinge of a grimace. "I have to, don't I? Now get a move on, Tyler."

Rose stalked off, glaring at the world as if it had wronged her. A flash of movement caught her attention, and Rose whipped her head around. A dummy stood in an unnatural position, looking perfectly innocent. Shaking her head, Rose headed for the lift, jabbing the button vengefully. After a long moment, the door opened with a squeak and a fitful wheeze.

Rose stepped into the lift, rubbing her eyes wearily. Behind the lights and the fancy sales pitch, everything here was rubbish. Just like the rest of her life.

The door clanged open again, and Rose stepped out, instantly uneasy. Something about this place gave her the creeps. Maybe it was the feeling of foreboding that lay over the place like some kind of shroud. Or maybe it was the mannequins propped here and there, wearing clearance rack rejects and blank, creepy stares.

Either way, Rose didn't intend to stay here a second longer than she hand to. Trying to quash her jitters, Rose strode briskly to the blue door labelled Wilson, CEO. She raised her free hand and rapped her fist on it three times. No response. A tendril of ice curled lazily in her gut. Forcing it down, Rose tried to convince herself that Wilson simply didn't hear her. "Wilson, it's me, Rose. I've got the lottery money. Come and get it."

Feeling increasingly edgy, Rose forced herself to count backwards from ten. When she hit one, Rose lost her temper and slammed the flat of her hand into the cold metal of the door. Unfortunately, it didn't help. It only made her hand sting. "Wilson! I can't keep Billy waiting!"

Just then, a loud creaking echoed through the barren hall, simultaneously making Rose jumpy and hopeful. She took a few tentative steps in the direction of the sound. "Wilson?"

If that was him, she could deliver the stupid lottery money, and get home. Focusing hard on the idea of her warm bed and a Dickens novel, Rose strode down the long corridor. A flash of elusive movement. Rose realised with some misgivings that the fluid strokes of motion was quite unlike her elderly boss's stiff, pottering gait. Had to be him. Didn't it? Rose's brisk pace slowed to a cautious creep.

By now, she was right next to the big storeroom where all the spare displays were kept. Another loud groan wafted eerily towards her, drawing her attention to the open door of the storeroom. As if in a trance, Rose walked into the room. She paused three strides inside the room, noting that things were unusually neat, with no boxes of clothes strewn about like so much flotsam and jetsam.

And then there were the mannequins. Lots of them. All of them dressed in a horrendous fashion that gave the illusion of the dummies having dressed themselves, if they had no fashion sense or skill at dressing themselves. Rose shook her head, and as she did, there was another ominous creak, and a flash of movement.

Rose took another step, and several things happened at once. The red door slammed with a thundering crash. Crying out, Rose whirled around, and bolted for the door. When it wouldn't budge, Rose beat her balled fists against it in frustration. When she'd still been with Jimmy, she'd heard about a shopgirl who'd gotten trapped overnight because this door locked automatically from the outside.

Apparently management had not seen fit to fix it. Maybe someone was still here. She pounded on the door, trying to make as much of a racket as possible. "Let me out! Let me out!"

Breathing hard from adrenaline, Rose leaned her forehead against the cool metal. That was when a loud creaking reverberated through the cold room, making Rose spin around with a gasp. Only to see a dummy stepping off of its plinth. Rose took a hurried step back, trying to look braver than she felt. "Ha." she said in a barely controlled tone. "You got me. Very funny."

The dummy kept coming, as Rose desperately scanned it for any sign it might be fake. Other than the god awful orange sweater vest, Rose couldn't find any. By now, more dummies were following, their arms moving in rhythmic menace. Rose backed up, thinking hard. "Right, got the joke. Not funny anymore."

Then she bolted, feet pounding the cement as she made for one of three side doors. Heart racing, Rose collided with it, only to discover it was locked. Thinking a few curses fit to ruin the ozone layer, Rose forced herself to calm down. I just need another door, that's all, Rose thought.

Legging it for the next door, Rose neglected to keep an eye on the encroaching dummies. She tried the door, only to find it locked. Heart sinking, Rose turned around to meet her fate. She was greeted by the three foremost dummies raising their arms to strike. Rose shut her eyes. What if they're not pranksters? some traitorous part of her brain whispered.

With that unpleasant thought rattling around, the last thing Rose expected was for the door behind her to fly open, and a cool hand to grab hers. Rose's eyes flew open, and she whipped around to stare at the man silhouetted in the doorway. He didn't look much older than her, with cheerfully attractive features, blond hair, blue eyes, and a smile that was nicely friendly(and made her heart stutter). Then her eyes dropped from his face. What in the nine circles of hell was he wearing? The man grinned at her, and tugged her towards the door. "Time to go! Can you run?"

Rose nodded mutely, setting a brisk pace. The man grinned wider. "Excellent!"

As they sprinted in the direction of the lift, Rose looked back over her shoulder. A appallingly ugly flood of dummies poured out of the room, the hissing of a ruptured water pipe providing a suitably ominous soundtrack. How in the heck did those things, whatever they are, break a water pipe?

They skidded to a messy halt in front of the lift, and he did something Rose didn't quite catch that made the doors spring open with almost indecent haste. He gently pushed Rose inside the lift, and hurriedly stepped inside himself. This time, Rose paid closer attention to what the man was doing, and noticed him using a silver cylinder to do something to the control panel. The doors snapped shut, but not nearly fast enough.

As if by magic, a dummy's arm appeared in the rapidly closing gap, halting the upward motion of the lift, and nearly clipping the man in the head. It then grabbed for his throat, and the man grabbed it, initiating a deadly, yet somehow comical game of tug of war.

He pulled one way, and the dummy the other. Just as several other mannequins began to clamour to get in, the arm came free with a plasticky pop. The doors closed smoothly and the lift began to rise. He rocked back on his heels, and turned to Rose with a smile, before tossing her the arm. She caught it out of reflex, noting it was solid plastic.

She tried not to think about what that might mean. "You pulled its arm off! Clever trick."

The man smiled brightly at her, and though she tried not to notice, it was bloody gorgeous. "Not a trick. Merely required a bit of force applied in the right direction."

Then his gaze grew intense. "You said 'it'. What makes you say that?"

Rose, startled by the change in direction, struggled to find the words. "I-it was solid plastic. It wouldn't be if it were a costume."

The intensity went out of his eyes, and he beamed at Rose. "Very good! They're Autons, or living plastic."

Rose looked down at the plastic arm in her grasp. She was no longer sure if the bloke was crazy or not. Rose decided to change the subject. "What's your name?"

The mystery bloke was watching the doors impatiently. "The Doctor."

Rose's eyes grew wide, and she gently whacked him with the plastic arm. The Doctor turned around, eyes wide. "What was that for?"

"That's for leaving Nyssa crying out in front of some random police box, you git!"

A spark of recognition lit the Doctor's eyes. "You're Rose."

Rose nodded. "Rose Tyler."

At that moment, the doors slid open with a groan. Rose noted that there were several handprint-shaped dents in them. She shivered. Still lugging the plastic arm, Rose stepped out before the lift could close. The Doctor was already peering at the buttons to the lift, and looked up as she exited. "Mind your eyes. This can get a bit bright."

He touched the silver cylinder to it, and with an impressive hum, the control panel emitted a burst of light and sparks. Rose jumped back with a small squeak of surprise. The Doctor chuckled at her surprise. "I probably should have warned you about that."

Rose gestured at the silvery cylinder still in his hand. "What is that?"

The Doctor tossed it up in the air, and Rose watched as it spun through the air in a gleaming pinwheel, then landed in his outstretched hand. "Oh, this? It's a sonic screwdriver. Useful for lockpicking, sabotage, and many other things besides." He slipped it into his pocket.

Rose frowned at him. "So you mean it's good for illegal stuff?"

He opened his mouth, shut it, then said, "I suppose so."

The Doctor rummaged around in his coat pocket, and came up with a keypad-looking thing. A detonator, Rose realised after a second. The Doctor's smile looked a bit regretful now. "I hope you're not particularly fond of your workplace. With the number of Autons in the basement, I'll have to blow it up."

Rose had been expecting something of the sort. "What about Wilson? He's still in the building."

The Doctor's smile dropped as if it had never been. "Wilson's dead. I'm sorry, Rose, the Autons killed him."

Rose tried to swallow around the lump in her throat. Wilson was her friend, one of the few she'd had. And now he was dead. "He was set to retire."

The Doctor's dark blue eyes were sad as he gazed at her steadily. "I'm sorry, Rose. If it's any consolation, no one else will suffer like he did."

Rose met his gaze, letting a hint of challenge leak through. "See that they don't." Was all she said.

The Doctor nodded, still meeting her eyes, then punched a sequence into the detonator. Slipping it into his pocket, the Doctor grabbed her free arm, and guided her out of the doors. The Doctor dropped her arm and took a step back. "Go home, Rose Tyler. And forget about me."

For a second, Rose wanted to do just that. Shaking it off, Rose realised that she'd taken three steps in the direction of bus stop, and that the Doctor was gone. Well, she wasn't about to let him get away with questions unanswered. Rose slipped behind a dumpster, and waited.

Only a few minutes later, the Doctor slipped out again. He crossed the street, and Rose followed. Literally seconds after they crossed the street, the roof of Henrik's blew off in a massive plume of orange and yellow flames. Cars honked and swerved, people screamed, but Rose kept her gaze fixed on the Doctor's retreating back.

Then she noticed something. A battered old police box sat in an alcove, and the Doctor made straight for it. The door opened, spitting out two people. One Rose recognised instantly as Nyssa, and the other girl had to be Tegan. She was pretty, with short dark hair, pale skin, and wore a old fashioned flight attendant's uniform. The Doctor made a beeline for them. Greetings were exchanged.

Tegan looked around. "Doctor, you're being followed again."

The Doctor looked sceptical, but dutifully looked around. He nodded sharply. "You can come out now."

Busted.

Rose stepped out of the shadows. Nyssa smiled at her, and the Doctor shook his head. Tegan surveyed Rose with a neutral expression. The Doctor eyed her. "I thought you were going home."

Rose clutched the plastic arm tighter. "No way."

Tegan and Nyssa exchanged a meaningful look. Then they both looked at the Doctor. A moment of nonverbal communication passed between them, and the Doctor's expression turned stubborn. "It's not happening."

The puppy dog looks intensified, and the Doctor threw up his hands with an exasperated sigh. "Fine."

He turned to Rose. "Would you like to travel with us? All of time and space at your disposal."

Rose stared at him. "What do you mean?"

Nyssa grabbed Rose's hand, and pulled her towards the police box. "Come and see."

They stepped inside the police box, and Rose's jaw dropped. The interior was huge, and gleaming white, with a central console, and doorways leading off in all directions. Rose managed to regain her composure enough to look at Nyssa. "Is it alien?"

Nyssa looked vaguely amused. "Yes, it is."

The Doctor and Tegan had come up to stand next to them. Rose looked between the three of them with growing interest. "Are you alien?"

The Doctor and Nyssa both said yes at the same time.

Tegan just snorted. "I'm from Brisbane."

Abruptly something the Doctor said registered. "All of time and space? Is this a time machine?"

The Doctor seemed faintly smug. "Yes, she is. The best telepathic, sentient ship around. She's called the TARDIS."

Rose was about to say something when a loud electronic bleating noise echoed through the vast room. It sounded like a cybernetic sheep being tortured with death metal music. The Doctor swore quietly in a beautiful, chiming language Rose didn't understand. He strode over to the console, and pulled out a little viewscreen.

After looking at it, the Doctor turned back to them, forcing a smile. "Unfortunately, Rose, your first trip has been delayed. I thought the Nestene Consciousness was destroyed, but the signal hasn't stopped. It simply moved. Bring that arm here, so I can unscramble the signal."

Rose obeyed, and watched in fascination as the Doctor wired the arm into the console. After a moment, she went to stand by Tegan. Glancing sideways at Tegan, Rose asked the question that had been itching at her for a few minutes. "Is it always this wild? Living plastic, running for your life?"

Tegan's lips quirked up. "Usually. Sometimes it's peaceful, too. The Doctor's ability to correctly land the TARDIS is really something. One time he landed us in the middle of the only revolution in the history of an otherwise peaceful resort planet."

Nyssa shot Tegan a mildly reproving look. "Be fair, Tegan. It's just as much the TARDIS as it is him."

Tegan glared at her friend, gesturing emphatically. "I am being fair! He's a terrible pilot, and that's being generous."

The Doctor paused in his circling of the console to roll his eyes at Tegan. Rose snickered. For all their bickering, they felt like family. The Doctor flipped a switch, and the TARDIS began to tilt madly. The background hum that Rose had barely noticed before now scaled up, seemingly hemming them in on all sides.

After what could have been only a few moments, the hum changed pitch, becoming almost… frustrated. Now Rose could believe that the ship was alive. With a final shudder, the ship settled, and the hum died away, going back to its usual volume. Rose and Nyssa both let go of Tegan's arms.

Tegan glanced sideways at Rose, and said out of the corner of her mouth, "We'll be lucky if he actually followed the signal, instead of landing us in the nineteen thirties."

Rose declined to comment, even though she was burning with curiosity over what happened in the thirties. The Doctor abruptly made a sound of frustration, and glared at the console. Then he looked up. "The signal cut out before we could arrive. We could be anywhere in time and space…" he trailed off as he realised that the two humans and the Trakenite were nowhere to be found and the doors were standing open.

With an mildly exasperated shrug, the Doctor went outside. Rose glanced up at the Doctor as he walked out of the TARDIS. He had a straw hat at a jaunty angle on his head, and a neutral expression that Rose didn't know him well enough to read. He glanced around, seemingly taking a moment to realise that they had moved, but not far.

They were still in London, but were now on a bridge in the middle of the Thames. In the distance, the lights of the Eye blinked lazily, glowing a spectacular blue.

A few stars peeked shyly through the light pollution. Rose looked up at them, and realised with a shock that they were within her reach. Picking one at random, Rose promised herself she'd see it.

Distracted as she was, she didn't see the Doctor smiling softly at her. After a second, the Doctor put his hands together. "Right. We're looking for a transmitter. Something round and enormous. Like a dish or a wheel. Or maybe it's invisible…" his sentence slowly died as he noticed Rose staring intently over his shoulder. "What is it?"

He turned to look, and saw only the gently twinkling lights of the Eye. The Doctor looked back at Rose, an eyebrow raised in query. She nodded more forcefully, and he looked again. The Eye! The Doctor whipped his head around to grin at Rose. She grinned back.

The Doctor held out his hand, and Rose took it. They exchanged a glance, and the Doctor started at a run down the bridge. His cool hand fit hers almost perfectly, and Rose marvelled at the friends she'd found. Who knew getting locked in a basement with a bunch of homicidal shop dummies could have so many benefits?

Dimly, Rose could hear Tegan and Nyssa clattering along behind. Rose thought she could pick out a faint muttering of 'lovebirds' from Tegan, and an elegant snort from Nyssa. After what seemed a short distance, but might have been a lot longer, they all halted in the shadow of the Eye.

Rose looked sidewise at the Doctor. "Doctor?"

He was gazing around the Eye with keen interest. "Mmm?"

Finally he looked at Rose. "Why are the Autons here? Invading the earth seems kind of… B-movie."

The Doctor trotted over to the railing, and looked over before answering. "Indeed it does. But that's exactly why they're here. They need a new protein source, and Earth fits the bill."

Rose puzzled that over for a second, and made a noise of horror and revulsion when she figured it out. Tegan was equally horrified. Nyssa looked faintly green. Walking over to the railing, Rose leaned next to the Doctor, and tried to figure out what he was looking at.

Why exactly would he be staring suspiciously at a manhole cover? Scrunching up her nose to blot out the stink blowing off the Thames, Rose looked at the Doctor. "How are you going to fight them? All we did was run, last time."

The Doctor smiled mysteriously, the lights of the Eye glinting in his eyes, making them glow. "I'm not going to fight them. I'm going to negotiate… with conditions."

Rose batted her eyelashes at him. "Isn't that how you always negotiate?"

The Doctor chuckled, and reached into his shirt pocket, pulling out a little blue vial of translucent liquid. "Yes, but these conditions are very specific. Either they leave the planet with all kinds of haste, or I use this antiplastic."

He dangled it under Rose's nose. His smile was still boyish and charming, but his eyes had gone hard and sad. Rose fought back a shiver. He seemed so… nice, she'd forgotten he wasn't human.

Suddenly, with a fresh burst of energy, the Doctor leapt away from the railing. "Off we go! I know where they're located."

The three young women trotted after him, in varying stages of amusement and exasperation. When they caught up with the Doctor at the bottom of the stairs, he'd already pulled up the manhole cover and was waiting for them.

Rose stared down into the glaring orange light, and made a face. "Couldn't they have picked something a little more welcoming? Like, I dunno, a gazebo with flowers?"

Tegan snorted. Then she peered more closely at the opening. "It looks like a cliche from a bad alien invasion movie."

Nyssa was more pragmatic. "They're cliches for a reason."

Tegan and Rose both gaped at her. "You don't mean?"

Nyssa just gazed at Rose, one eyebrow raised regally. Rose shook her head. "Never mind."

She climbed past the Doctor and into the manhole. The Doctor followed, and after a second, so did Tegan and Nyssa. The four of them emerged onto a catwalk suspended over a massive cavern. Other catwalks crisscrossed the "room", all leading down to a gigantic central platform. Out in front of the platform boiled and seethed an unnatural looking something. "What the hell is that?" Rose breathed.

"The Nestene Consciousness, the central consciousness that controls all the Autons." The Doctor answered, not much louder.

Some primal instinct seemed to make them all uncomfortable with the idea of catching its attention. The Doctor looked at the three of them, and smiled just slightly. "Right then! I'll go negotiate for the safety of Earth, you three stay here."

And he started off down the stairs at a brisk trot, coattails flapping. Rose exchanged a glance with Tegan and Nyssa, and saw the same reluctance to stay mirrored there. "Don't know about you, but I'm not staying."

Rose started down the stairs. After a second, Tegan followed, then Nyssa. Rose was alarmed to see that as the Doctor neared the bottom of the stairs, a clump of clumsily-dressed Autons were moving out of the shadows and onto an intercept course. Rose moved to the nearest corner of the platform, Tegan and Nyssa following, and they all huddled together, watching the Doctor.

The clump of Autons also stood similarly inactive, watching the Doctor's every movement with dangerous attention. For a second the Doctor simply stood motionless, hands in his pockets, coattails flicked back.

Only his eyes moved, flickering from the Nestene Consciousness, to the three women, and back. His expression was distinctly neutral, and Rose couldn't tell what he was thinking.

After a moment, the Doctor moved a few steps forward, and stared down into the Nestene Consciousness. "May I approach?"

The Nestene Consciousness sloshed around, and made a gurgling of affirmative. The Doctor inclined his head politely, and bounded forward with all the enthusiasm of a puppy. "Thank you."

He leaned a hip against the railing, and folded his arms across his chest. "Now, where was I?"

He smiled, and it seemed such an innocent expression, that Rose had to smile, despite the danger they were in. "Ah, yes. The planet. Earth, as you quite well know, is a level five planet, and it is illegal to interfere in its development under convention fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation. Not to mention the significant damage done to the Web of Time."

There was an almost pitiful gurgle of plaint from the vat. The Doctor shook his head forcefully, making his blond hair flop around. "No, no, no. You've got this wrong here. Your constitutional rights are not being infringed upon!"

The Nestene Consciousness let out a dangerous hiss. Rose looked at Nyssa, a little taken aback. "He can understand it?"

Nyssa smiled a little. "The Doctor is good with languages. Plus the TARDIS will translate most languages."

Rose wanted to learn more, but the Doctor had started talking again, so she stayed quiet.

"I suggest you use your technology and leave this world at once. Furthermore-"

"DOCTOR!"

The frantic shout came from three throats at once, scraping them all raw in the sheer desperation of the sound. The Doctor whirled about in time to send one dummy flying in a hurricane of plastic shards, but was quickly restrained by the next two Autons.

One held his arms, while the other swiftly searched his pockets, coming up with the vial of antiplastic. Rose's stomach twisted, and her heart sped up. The Nestene Consciousness roared in rage, and reared up like a wayward tsunami. The Doctor looked back at Rose, then to the pit. "I wasn't going to use it, I swear to you. It was only a bargaining chip!"

Behind them, two twenty foot panels slid back to reveal the TARDIS. The Consciousness let out a sound like metal tearing, and a crackling dome of blue electricity came to life around it. At the same time, two dummies broke away from the pack eyeing the Doctor intently. They grabbed Nyssa by the arms, and dragged her away. Tegan went to strike at one with an angry, ear-blistering curse, but Rose dragged her back. At that moment, the room began to shake as blue light shot through the ceiling.

Panic gripped Rose in earnest. "What's it doing?"

The Doctor shot her and Tegan an anguished glance. "It knows what I am, and what my people have done, and it is terrified. Get out of here, both of you! The TARDIS will take you home."

Tegan was the first to go, edging around the dummies, and slipping toward the TARDIS. Rose's gaze roved the room, searching for something, anything that could save her friends. Just then, her gaze fell on an axe hanging on the wall, next to some chains affixed to the wall. She could feel Tegan's eyes on her, but she didn't care. "Rose, what are you doing?"

Rose bolted up the stairs, flying up the steps three at a time. "I have to save them! 'M sorry."

She grabbed the axe off the wall, and heaved it onto her shoulder. "No A-levels."

Rose brought the axe down in an explosion of wood splinters. "No job."

Again the axe fell. "No future."

The moorings broke. "Tell you what I do have, though. Jericho street under sevens gymnastics. I got the bronze."

Rose wrapped the freed chains around one arm, leapt nimbly up onto the railing, and swung. She impacted the dummy holding the antiplastic first, sending it and the vial careening into the massive vat. The Doctor did something too fast to see, and the other dummy staggered away, seemingly unable to stand up straight. By the time Rose swung back around, the Doctor was waiting with outstretched arms. Easily plucking Rose off the chain, the Doctor wrapped Rose in a tight hug. "You were brilliant!" He murmured.

Just then, a boulder the size of a car flattened the stairs. The Doctor released Rose with what seemed like a touch of reluctance. When they turned back, Rose could see that the dummies were all twitching on the ground, and Nyssa was free. Rose ran over, and hugged a startled Nyssa. "Glad you're okay." Rose said quietly to her new friend.

Nyssa hugged her tighter. "That was impressive."

Not sure how to answer that, Rose patted Nyssa's back, and drew away. The Doctor smiled at Rose, and together, the four of them left for new adventures.


	2. Chapter 2: The Dream Team

Picking up her satchel from where she'd left it by the hatstand, Rose followed Tegan and Nyssa. The Doctor had disappeared from the console room directly after piloting the TARDIS into the vortex. "Where are we going?"

Tegan cracked a smile, but it was Nyssa who answered. "To celebrate. We survived."

Rose thought they meant alcohol, or maybe some alien equivalent, but instead they went to the kitchen, and snagged several colourful bottles of vintage soda from the fridge. The fridge, unsurprisingly, given the interior of the TARDIS, was bigger on the inside. Rose picked out a red bottle of cherry soda, shuddering as her hand brushed a bottle exactly the same colour as the strange lightning. "Is it really vintage?"

Tegan shrugged easily. "Not the faintest. Knowing the Doctor, there's a fifty fifty chance either way."

They all sat down at the large laminate table occupying a good chunk of the space. Rose raised her bottle of cherry soda. "To survival and thwarted invasions."

They clinked their bottles together, echoing the sentiment. Rose took a long pull of her soda, before setting it down on the table. It tasted tangier than she'd expected. "So how did you guys end up travelling with the Doctor?"

Tegan tipped her chair onto two legs, her face going blank as if remembering a memory not entirely pleasant. "I was with my aunt Vanessa, driving me to the airport for my first day as an air stewardess. Our car broke down, and I went to go make a call in what I thought was a police box. It turned out to be the TARDIS, and I got lost."

She let out a laugh that was half-rueful, half-irritated, and tipped her chair back down. "The Doctor keeps trying to get me home, but he hasn't managed yet. Someday he will, but until then, here I stay."

Tegan shrugged, and looked at Nyssa. Rose privately wondered if the Doctor's driving skills were really that bad, but kept it to herself.

Nyssa took a deep drink of her soda(a green permutation oddly called Cel-ray), almost as if thinking of a possible answer. Then she set the bottle down. "I asked the Doctor for help with a problem."

Almost as an afterthought, she added, "He was very different back then."

Well, if that wasn't an evasive wording, Rose didn't know what was. Secretly, she resolved to ask the Doctor. Changing the subject, Rose asked, "What's with the celery soda? There has to be a story behind that."

Nyssa and Tegan both got glints of mischief in their eyes. Tegan grinned slyly, and leaned toward Rose with a conspiratorial air. "You see, the Doctor hates celery, and the TARDIS likes to play pranks. So this one time, we landed in New York, and when he went out, we lugged a case of the soda back in. Naturally, the TARDIS hid the rest of the soda when he came looking for a bottle."

Nyssa burst into helpless laughter, slapping a hand down on the table for emphasis. "When I came in, he was just standing there, staring at the fridge, and I asked him if he needed something, then the Doctor just looked at me reprovingly, and said 'you know what you did.'"

Pretty soon all three of them were in gales of further laughter. Eventually the storytelling turned to past adventures and old friends, including Adric. "-and so I called him Pyjama Boy! Adric was not amused, to say the least."

Rose looked between her two friends, reluctant to shatter the happiness they were feeling. But she felt that there was something crucial she was missing, something vitally important. Slowly, hesitantly, she asked, "How did Adric die?"

Tegan's face immediately grew stormy with rage, and tears ran silently from Nyssa's eyes to spatter like broken glass on the table. Rose felt instantly horrible for prompting her friend's pain, but she was spared changing the subject by Tegan beginning to speak in a flat, angry voice. "We were chasing cybermen, and we landed on a freighter crawling with them. Long story short, they'd turned the freighter into a massive bomb, and launched it at the earth. The cybermen captured me, and used my life as a bargaining chip. The Doctor agreed to save my life in exchange for Adric staying behind while he brought the cybermen onto the TARDIS."

A volatile mixture of sorrow, white-hot rage, and aching pity was churning in Rose's gut.

Tegan continued on, seemingly oblivious to the battle raging within Rose. "The Doctor tried to pilot the TARDIS back to save Adric, but some cybermen shot up the console before he could. The freighter exploded, and Adric died. But the TARDIS is a time machine. He could save Adric any day he wanted."

The wave of rage crested, taking ahold of Rose's brain. Rose shot to her feet, knocking over the red vinyl chair. "I'm gonna go give the Doctor a piece of my mind."

Tegan and Nyssa stared at her in alarm. At last, Nyssa spoke. "How are you going to find him?"

Rose smiled grimly. "I'll manage." She strode out of the room.

Fifteen minutes later, Rose stormed into the beautifully green atrium that Nyssa had called the Cloister Room. The Doctor sat cross legged on the other side of a tranquil fishpond with several fat koi swimming in it. His eyes were closed, and he was completely moveless. Until Rose stopped across from him, her arms folded across her chest, glaring daggers at him. The Doctor slowly opened his eyes, and gazed at Rose. His pale blue eyes held no reproach or anger. Rose, however, had anger aplenty. "Adric. Explain."

Now emotion entered into the Doctor's eyes. Vicious, creeping guilt, and potent sorrow. "I couldn't save him. I still can't. As a time traveler, there are some things you simply cannot alter without devastating consequences."

Rose sat down across the pond, and gestured for him to continue.

He did, blue eyes puzzled and showing the beginnings of intrigue. "Picture, if you will, a house. Some things, like picture frames and knickknacks, can be moved without any problems or great changes to the house. Those are your mutable events. Then you have larger objects like furniture and non-loadbearing walls. Those are your pivotal events. And finally, you have loadbearing walls, which if you mess with them, the entire house will collapse. Those are your fixed points."

Rose's rage was fading, as things began to make sense. "So if you change a mutable event, not much changes. If you change a pivotal event, history is significantly different. What happens if you change a fixed point?"

The Doctor cracked a wan smile, as if he thought she was paying attention. "Then the entire universe collapses."

Rose gaped at him. "Pull the other one, why don't you?"

But the Doctor's expression was deadly serious. "There's a reason that the only species with the natural ability to time travel has the ability to see Time, including fixed points."

Rose was starting to believe him. She looked at the Doctor curiously. "Your species?"

He smiled tiredly, shifting to lean against the tree behind him. "I'm a Time Lord."

Rose grinned cheekily, her tongue poking out between her teeth. "Right, because that isn't pompous at all."

That startled a laugh out of the Doctor, and Rose paused to savour the sound. Then the Doctor met Rose's eyes, and his expression was earnest and sad. "I would save Adric if I could, but I can't. I'm so sorry."

His eyes glittered with unshed tears. For some reason, Rose couldn't take seeing him in pain. She stood up, rounding the fishpond, and sat down beside him, leaning into him. After a moment, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Rose looked up at him. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry too. Sorry I yelled at you, sorry you lost a friend, and sorry you had to choose between Tegan and Adric."

She dropped her gaze again, playing with the hem of her jumper. "Can I stay and talk a little while?"

The Doctor smiled softly at her. "Of course you can."


	3. Chapter 3: Wishing Well and Electricity

Tegan

Sitting at the big kitchen table, nursing a mug of coffee, Tegan wondered where the bleep Rose had gotten to. Across from her, Nyssa sipped at a glass of water and chewed on a pastry of dubious origin.

Maybe the TARDIS had gotten ticked at Rose and stranded her somewhere? Tegan was about to bring up the subject of starting a search party to go and rescue Rose, when Rose walked in, alongside the Doctor.

Tegan's eyes narrowed, and she wasn't sure whether to laugh, yell at the Doctor, or congratulate Rose. Next to her, Nyssa's eyes widened. Rose's hair was mussed, as if she'd slept in it, or done other things. And there were dark circles under her eyes. The Doctor looked as unruffled as ever, but his blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly as they moved between Tegan, who was hurriedly gulping down scalding coffee, and Nyssa, who looked ready to flee.

Setting down her cup, Tegan grinned at Rose, trying not to remember why Rose had left. "Congratulations on that! I would've thought he was ace, but apparently not."

Rose flushed a truly iconic shade of scarlet, and started stuttering. "I didn't- I mean, we didn't, I mean-"

The Doctor had apparently had enough. "Tegan, that is enough!"

Rose stopped stuttering, and looked at the Doctor gratefully. Tegan held up her hands, and smiled apologetically at Rose. She really hadn't meant to upset Rose. The Doctor sat down at the table, and poured himself a cup of coffee. Rose hovered for a second, then sat down next to him, across from Nyssa.

She yawned, then looked at the Doctor. "You wouldn't happen to have a package of Earl Grey lying around, would you?"

Rose

A short while later, Rose was back at the table, enjoying the caffeine rush from a cup of tea. Old habits die hard, Rose supposed. And fighting Autons, then staying up most of the night talking to the Doctor didn't really _help_ those habits.

Rose could feel the Doctor's curious gaze on her, but instead she focused on draining her mug. Rose wondered why the Doctor hadn't objected to being used as a pillow when she fell asleep. Probably, because when she woke up, he was asleep too. Rose finished her tea, and set the mug down on the tabletop. Tegan and Nyssa had both finished their food, and were waiting. Straightening a little, Rose glanced sideways at the Doctor. He had a pair of half-moon spectacles on, and was reading a paperback book. Rose squinted at the cover.

She vaguely remembered reading it from one of her bad-day inspired trips to the library. "Nita and Kit were brilliant in that book. Even if it was heartbreaking, it still represented a real turning point in the series. Though I don't think I agree with Nita's mom's reason for not living."

The Doctor looked up, eyes sharp behind the glittering spectacles. "Better to die than live as someone unrecognisable?"

Rose couldn't help but think that the question was about him, in some way Rose couldn't quite understand. "If you're still yourself at the core, does it matter what trappings you wear?"

The Doctor broke into a brilliant smile, and slipped the reading glasses and the novel into his pocket. "Well done, Rose."

He abruptly stood up and turned in the direction of the console room. The three women moved to follow, giving each other curious or slightly exasperated looks. Rose moved to the front, walking next to the Doctor. "Where are we going today?"

The Doctor smiled slightly, hands in his pockets. "I thought we'd go to IKEA today."

Rose's curiosity was piqued. "Which one? Croydon or Wembley? And why do you need furniture all of a sudden?"

The Doctor stopped, and everyone else stopped, too. "Tell me, what do you expect from an IKEA?"

Tegan just looked at the Doctor quizzically, Nyssa seemed somewhat uncertain, but Rose immediately started ticking off items on her fingers. "Cheap furniture, equally cheap kitchenware. I dunno, maybe plastic plants, icky food, and creepy stuffed toys?"

The Doctor gave his audience a sly smile. "Exactly. You wouldn't expect to find every IKEA location emitting a signature consistent with alien technology. And from the energy buildup, the technology has been there for roughly fifteen years. The same span as the oldest IKEA."

Tegan stared at him in disgusted disbelief. "You mean a alien species looked at earth, and thought, _hey, let's invade via furniture store?"_

The Doctor gave her a half-pained, half-patronising look. "It doesn't have to be an invasion. They could be stranded. Rassilon knows I have been before."

The Doctor started walking again, and the others followed in a straggling line. Hanging back by Tegan, Rose eyed the other girl's heels. "How do you run in those?" She asked quietly.

Tegan looked at her in bemusement. "I try not to trip?"

Rose patted her hand. "I'll get you some trainers next time we stop at home."

Tegan opened her mouth once, then shut it, seemingly unsure of what to say. They turned the corner, and trailed into the console room behind the Doctor. The Doctor had put on his Panama hat, and was walking around the console, energetically working the console.

He completed his circuit, and paused to exchange a smile with Rose and Nyssa as the TARDIS began to seesaw with enthusiasm. "Next stop, Renton!"

Tegan looked at him skeptically. "Which is where, exactly?"

Rose was grateful Tegan had asked, because she had not a bleeding clue where the Doctor was talking about. "Washington state, in the States."

Rose realised that she had gotten so used to the persistent humming, that it hadn't overwhelmed her when it scaled up. A second later, the humming died away to normal levels, and the rocking of the TARDIS ceased.

The Doctor gestured toward the doors. "Out there, it's 2007. Two years in your future, Rose."

Excitement bloomed in Rose's chest, mixing with apprehension in a toxic brew. "Is it safe? I mean, what if I change a fixed point?"

The Doctor smiled reassuringly from across the console. "Time Lord, remember? I will stop you from changing anything you shouldn't." Rose smiled back.

Neither of them noticed Tegan and Nyssa exchanging a glance, or Tegan making a 'get a room' motion. Abruptly tearing his gaze away, the Doctor flicked the bulbous lever, and the doors opened with a wheezing hum. The four of them crossed the room and made for the doors.

Nyssa

Emerging behind the Doctor and Rose, Nyssa first noticed that Rose and the Doctor were holding hands... again. Then, for it was quite necessary, Nyssa turned her attention to her surroundings. For some reason she could only guess at, the Doctor had parked the TARDIS in a cluster of toy circus tents, next to a large metal cage of stuffed animals. Behind her, Tegan exited the TARDIS, only to get tangled in a pint sized circus tent. Emerging from the unloving embrace of the tent, Tegan scowled and went to join her friends.

The Doctor turned to face them, still holding Rose's hand. "Right then." He said cheerfully. "We'll be splitting up. We can cover more ground than as a group. Less likely to attract attention."

Tegan eyed him dubiously, while crossing her arms. "What happens if one group gets caught? I don't really fancy getting caught or killed."

Nyssa wasn't too keen on that herself, but she trusted the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled in a reassuring fashion, and gestured around them. "That's why we'll meet two hours from now in the cafeteria, regardless of whether we find anything or not. Tegan, you'll be with me. Nyssa, you're with Rose."

Tegan moved toward him, grumbling all the while, whilst Rose dropped his hand and stood next to Nyssa. The Doctor and Tegan began to walk away, but the Doctor turned, his blue eyes seemingly staring into Nyssa's soul. "And Nyssa?"

Nyssa met his gaze squarely. "Yes, Doctor?"

His eyes were serious, without their normal dancing spark. "Whatever you see, whatever happens, do not investigate without us. Are we clear?"

They both nodded.

The Doctor

Walking away from Rose and the TARDIS, the Doctor felt a tiny twinge of misgivings and almost… loss? Like he was leaving a part of himself behind. With an odd feeling, the Doctor realised Rose had gotten to him. In what way, he wasn't sure yet, but in a day and a half, one little golden-haired human had wormed her way past all of his defences. Setting it aside, the Doctor began to search for any sign that of alien activity.

Nearly two hours later, he was forced to call it quits. Beside him, Tegan was unnaturally silent. The Doctor toyed with the idea that she was plotting revenge, but discarded it as unlikely.

He put a hand on her arm and guided her the other way. "Come on. Let's go to the cafeteria. Rose and Nyssa should be back by now."

Rose

An hour and a half into it, they still hadn't found anything that said, hey, this furniture store is crawling with potentially dangerous aliens. As they passed by a display of toilet brushes, Rose happened to glance over at an employee wearing the distinctive yellow uniform, who was chatting animatedly with a customer. Rose recognised the body language of a customer who is very unhappy, and determined to make trouble. But the employee didn't seem at all bothered.

Come to think of it, that was strange. Rose dug Nyssa in the ribs. Nyssa looked at her intently. "What is it?"

Rose gestured with her chin toward the unnaturally happy employee. "I'm not sure how it is on Traken, but with most humans working this kind of job, you give it the bare minimum, and try not to get fired. You tolerate customers, but you aren't necessarily happy about it."

Nyssa nodded, her eyes narrowing as she watched the employee. "So the fact that he's so… bouncy while dealing with an irate customer, isn't normal."

Rose smiled, just a little. "Exactly. Let's go see if the trend holds up." And hold up it did.

Nyssa

They found the Doctor and Tegan lounging in the sitting room outside the nondescript cafeteria. Tegan looked bored, with her arms crossed, and the Doctor was reading again. Even so, you could cut the tension with a knife. Beside her, Rose shifted, clearing her throat. The Doctor and Tegan both looked up at the same time, and they both looked comically relieved. The Doctor abruptly stood up, and hugged Rose. He then patted Nyssa on the arm.

Standing back, hands in his pockets, the Doctor looked at them inquiringly. "What did you find?"

Rose and Nyssa exchanged a glance, sighing. "The employees are all sweetness and light, even when presented with a fake break-in."

The Doctor's mouth dropped open. He snapped it shut with a click. "You did what?"

This was going to go over like a ton of bricks, Nyssa could just tell. Nyssa took the Doctor by one arm, Rose took his other arm, and they guided him in the direction of the cafeteria. "Come on, let's go get some food and talk about this."

When Nyssa happened to glance back, Tegan was following along behind, doubled over with strangled laughter. The four of them passed through the checkout line, and were greeted by three people in yellow uniforms who practically vibrated with sheer enthusiasm. They ordered, and all the while, the Doctor gave them a curious stare of polite scientific scrutiny.

Collecting her dubious-looking meatballs and potatoes, Nyssa threw one final look at the blank-eyed people with their too-wide grins, shuddering.

She had a very good idea what might cause that sort of thing.

The Doctor

He picked unenthusiastically at his chips, noting from the scent and the texture that the potatoes probably weren't grown on this planet. Artificial gravity did certain things to tubers, none of them particularly palatable.

He glanced over at Rose, who was equally unhappy with her food. "Now, what exactly did you mean by a fake break-in?" He realised, too late, that his voice had gone slightly sharp.

Rose's lips curled up in amusement at his tone. "We wanted to see if they were all so happy and friendly if we did something distinctly unfriendly. So we broke into the break room."

The Doctor was appalled at their recklessness, but had to admit with grudging admiration that they'd done their troublemaking in style. Not to mention that he would have done exactly the same. "How did they react? Even the smallest detail could be potentially vital."

Nyssa shook her head in bemusement. "That's the bizarre thing. They treated us like long lost friends. Even when Rose got frustrated and had me pretend to steal something."

The Doctor could feel his emotional control slipping. Counting backwards from ten, the Doctor shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. When the Doctor opened his eyes again, he felt slightly calmer. Rose was watching him, her amber eyes sparkling with mischief and happiness. It hit the Doctor like a punch to the gut. He blinked, trying to get some control over himself.

Finally managing, he said, "There are several possibilities I can think of. The first, although unlikely, is possession."

The Doctor saw Tegan's and Nyssa's flinches, and instantly regretted bringing up that possibility.

But he forged on. "The next, far more likely possibility, is mind control. Fortunately, that is easily reversible. All we have to do is find the transmitter, and destroy it. Then we convince the individuals behind it to vacate the premises."

Rose and Nyssa both smiled at him, but Tegan did not look convinced. The Doctor didn't exactly blame her. He'd made a horrible decision, choosing her over Adric, and he deserved to pay for it. The Doctor stood, and the others did too.

As they set their trays in the storage rack, the Doctor explained his plan. "If breaking into a restricted area didn't get the ahem, proprietors attention, then we have to up the ante."

Rose looked at him warily. "How?"

The Doctor was already slipping his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. "Like this."

He looked up, dead centre into a security camera. "We know what you're doing, controlling all these people." The Doctor carefully raised his voice in a manner calculated to carry over the cafeteria's din.

Then he raised the sonic screwdriver, already set on setting 75A. With a earsplitting hum, the camera vibrated to pieces, then promptly spontaneously combusted. Even as klaxons blared and the sprinklers turned on, dousing them all, the Doctor stood resolute, waiting.

Rose's hand slipped into his, right as security guards dressed all in black raced around the corner. They grabbed the Doctor, Tegan, Nyssa, and Rose, beginning to frogmarch them toward whatever waited. Oddly enough, they didn't separate Rose from the Doctor.


	4. Chapter 4: A Wrinkle in Time

The Doctor

The leader of the guards wore a profusely apologetic expression that did not extend to his eyes. "Sorry about that. But rules are rules."

They were passing through the last part of the display section now, past the houseplants and the pottery. The Doctor fixed his gaze sternly on his captor, trying to keep the pity out of his eyes. "I address the entity that is controlling this human being. Who are you?"

Those eyes were no longer excruciatingly blank, but held a cold cunning that was wrong in a human's eyes. Its reply was a sibilant hiss. "We are the Qleyr."

The Doctor reeled back, shocked, for the Qleyr had by and large been a peaceful race. "But you were peaceful!"

The creature laughed harshly, its face wrinkling into a snarl. "A lot of things can change in a thousand years of war, Time Lord."

It practically spat the name. "But then again, we know all about you, Doctor. After all, 'twas you and your mate who destroyed our planet, and left us in ruined bodies."

It looked him up and down, and seemed to grow puzzled. "But not yet, I don't think. You don't bear the scars of the Time War."

The Doctor shook his head, feeling like he'd walked into a bad dream. By now, they were almost to a set of double doors marked 'Employees Only'. The Doctor just had time to squeeze Rose's hand in reassurance before they were through, and emerging into a vast space the size of an airplane hangar. At one end, a battered cigar-shaped craft covered in runes rested crookedly, seemingly destined never again to fly.

Qleyr in human bodies mingled with the graceful natural Qleyr, whom to the Doctor's eyes, greatly resembled velociraptors garbed in the iridescent greens and blues of a peacock. But as they neared the nearest natural Qleyr, the Doctor's hearts twisted. The being, a female, had ragged feathers, and oozing sores all over her body.

As they were marched in front of her, the Qleyr swung around, her violet pupils contracting in rainbow eyes as she shoved her muzzle in the Doctor's face. The security Qleyr released them, and took a few steps back. "Doctor." She said, and it was simultaneously like a bird's call, and low and angry. "I should kill you now, for what you will do."

Rose jumped in front of him, interposing her five foot frame between him and the enraged Qleyr. "No! Don't kill him! The Doctor hasn't done anything!" Rose drew herself up to her full height, hands shaking.

The Qleyr stuck her muzzle in Rose's face, and growled a single word. "Yet."

Then she drew back, and trilled a bitter laugh. "Then again, Wolf, you had just as much to do with the destruction of our world. Shall I kill you in his stead?"

Rose gulped, and that was when the Doctor decided with a rush of protectiveness that his first priority was to keep Rose safe. He gently stepped in front of Rose, wrapping an arm around her to keep her behind him.

The Doctor could feel Rose's angry glare boring into the back of his head, but he kept his gaze focused on the being in front of him. "Your quarrel is with me, not her. Let my friends leave, and I'll stay, and do whatever you want."

The Qleyr laughed chillingly, and the Doctor had the feeling that he wouldn't like what she would have to say. "You're wrong on that count, too, Doctor. My quarrel, as you so charmingly put it, is with both you and your Wolf. But I am feeling merciful today, so I will give you a choice."

She twisted her head around to survey him out of one shattered-glass eye. "Either you and your mate assist us, or we will kill you both, and use the psychograft on your two human friends."

The Doctor's mouth went dry. He met that unblinking multihued gaze unflinchingly. "I have a counterproposal: let me engineer a cure for the radiation poisoning, and find you a new planet with my TARDIS."

They stared at each other for a long while, the tension thicker than clotted blood. The Qleyr was the first one to break eye contact, looking away with her equivalent of a sigh. "Very well, Time Lord. Your chance to redeem yourself from future crimes. But be careful, if you cross us…"

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully. "I won't. You wouldn't mind telling me your name, by any chance?"

She eyed him suspiciously, as if she thought giving him her name would result in instant betrayal. Finally, she stated her name with reluctance. "Ayima."

The Doctor smiled, and released his hold on Rose. "Excellent. Perhaps you can show us to your genetics laboratory?"

Ayima turned around, gesturing wordlessly for them to follow with a flourish of the green feathers on the end of her tail.

Rose

Perched on the counter next to where the Doctor was hard at work with several vials and a centrifuge, Rose mulled over all that Ayima had said. One part of her was not quite sure how she felt about the fact that she and the Doctor ended up in a relationship. Somehow she thought that the type of 'mate' that Ayima had referred to was not a good friend. One thing was certain. Rose needed answers. Sliding off the cheap granite countertop, Rose tiptoed away to where Ayima stood awkwardly, swishing her tail in what seemed abject boredom.

The Qleyr startled, not expecting Rose. She quickly straightened, baring her teeth in what Rose fervently hoped was a friendly grin. Somehow, she doubted it. "Wolf. What can I do for you?" The last had a sarcastic edge.

Rose gulped around a suddenly dry mouth. "I want information. About my future."

Ayima grinned wider, exposing a forest of ivory fangs. "You don't ask much, small one. Then again, the last time I saw you, you were taller, and the Doctor was shorter."

Seeing the perplexity on Rose's face, Ayima sighed. "The Doctor hasn't told you about regeneration yet, has he?"

Rose shook her head, wondering what the heck regeneration was. Ayima folded her forelegs across her chest. "Regeneration is the process in which a Time Lord - or Lady - avoids death. They completely change their appearance, as well as some aspects of their personality."

Rose looked back at the Doctor, who was now talking quietly with Tegan and Nyssa. It seemed somehow sad to think that the kind, incredible man she knew would change so drastically. But one thing still bothered her.

Rose looked back at the feathery Qleyr. "But I'm not a Time Lady. How can I regenerate?"

Ayima eyed her with amusement. "You may not be yet, but you will be."

Rose frowned at her. Ayima sighed, waving a clawed hand in mild exasperation. "We have legends about you, you know. The first tale spun about you is the tale of Bad Wolf. Legend has it that you and the Doctor were trapped by a Dalek fleet. With nowhere to turn, the Doctor sent you back home. Or tried to. You merged with the TARDIS, became a Goddess of Time. And you wiped every single filthy Dalek from reality. And you saved the Doctor's life. But as such a cost. You changed, lost your humanity."

Rose swallowed hard, trying to process this. "And what about the war? Why do you hate us so badly?"

Ayima swung her tail in a shrug. "The Last Great Time War made monsters out of all of us, no matter how hard we tried to walk in the light. It forced us all into choices we never should have been forced to make. But some more than others. You and the Doctor were those who were. I don't know your motivations, only that you ran when you should have helped us, and hours later, the Time War ended. Gallifrey and the Daleks both burned in your inferno. And so did we."

Ayima's iridescent eyes burned with hatred, but softened when Rose started to shake, hugging herself. "'M sorry. I gotta go."

Rose hurried away, feeling the Qleyr's thoughtful eyes boring into her back.

The Doctor

Focusing on listening, the Doctor struggled to concentrate on his work. His mind raced as he contemplated the possibilities. Time was always in flux, but if this timeline continued, then it was entirely possible that the events described would come to pass. For a moment, his hearts soared at the thought of Rose surviving as long as he did, perhaps longer.

Then the Doctor instantly felt horrible, because the cost of that particular timeline was just too high. If countless worlds were torn apart, how could he possibly countenance that?

Nearby, Tegan and Nyssa chatted, unaware of the Doctor's conflict. Just then, the Doctor heard Rose utter a shaken goodbye, and hurry toward him. He put down the syringe he was holding, and turned around just in the nick of time to stop Rose from accidentally running into him.

She was white faced and shaking, and was avoiding his eyes. "Rose." The Doctor said softly. "Are you okay?"

Rose spoke with forced cheer, and the Doctor noted that her accent was thicker than normal. "'M fine."

Her voice rose somewhat with the next statement. "I just discovered that I'm going to annihilate at least two species, and I don't even know why."

Rose hugged herself, and the Doctor had to resist the urge to do something, anything to make her feel better. "But why? Why would I do something like that? There has to be a reason, doesn't there?"

She was shrinking into herself, looking so very uncertain. The Doctor couldn't take it anymore. He drew Rose into a hug, and kissed her hair. "Rose." The Doctor said, lips still resting against her hair. "If I believe in anything, it's you. I very much doubt that you could ever be corrupted. Ayima said herself that she didn't know exactly what happened, only that we rushed away in time for Gallifrey to burn."

It was hard, especially when the image of a future Rose lying dead on Gallifrey was etched in his mind, but he forced the next words out. "It could be that someone else ends the war, and we both die on Gallifrey. Or maybe we inadvertently change this timeline, and none of it ever happens."

Rose looked up, and smiled weakly. Then she frowned. "How're we supposed to change it if we're going to forget it?"

The Doctor shook his head, but forced himself to smile. "We could change it inadvertently."

Rose made a face. "You mean you don't have a clue."

The Doctor pulled a wry face. "Nothing's certain but change."

Rose blushed, and looked down, tucking a curl behind one ear. "I wouldn't mind some things about that not changing." She said it very quietly, with a tentative air.

The Doctor puzzled over that for a moment, then he gaped at Rose. Then he supposed it made sense. They wouldn't end up together unless she reciprocated his feelings. Finally managing to scrape together two functional brain cells, the Doctor gave her a short, if reasonably coherent answer. "I wouldn't mind, either."

Rose smiled at him, and the Doctor was trying to think up a witty response that didn't involve kissing a certain Rose Tyler, when the gene analyzer behind them beeped. The Doctor's sense of professionalism got in the way, and he reluctantly stepped away from Rose.

"Right then." Rose started to walk away, then looked over her shoulder. "I'll just go talk to Nyssa and Tegan." The Doctor nodded, and she continued away. He watched her for a while, wondering what the future would bring.

Rose

Tegan and Nyssa were both watching her unashamedly. Rose walked over, and leaned against the wall next to Tegan. Tegan patted her arm awkwardly, and Nyssa had a glint of pity in her eyes. For a few minutes they were silent, with Tegan and Nyssa both seeming to try to think up some way to broach the subject. Finally Nyssa said gently, "What was that about Gallifrey?"

Rose told them about Bad Wolf, and about the supposed fall of Gallifrey. When the long and painful explanation was done, Rose flopped her head against the wall. "Holy cow." Tegan said at last. Then she grinned wolfishly. "Looks like your little crush on the Doctor goes both ways. Seemed like he wanted to kiss you."

Rose shot Tegan a mock glare, and elbowed her in the ribs. "Hush, you."

The three of them exchanged grins. Then Nyssa started fiddling with the cuffs on her red velvet shirt. She glanced up, and her eyes were wide and serious. "We're going to have to forget this. It's standard practice for times like these. But what worries me is that the Doctor will most likely be facing down an enemy whom he cannot defeat, probably in the near future. If you make the wrong choices, Rose, he could die."

Rose's shoulders slumped. She forced a grin, though it felt more like a frown. "Guess I'll just have to make the right choices, then?"

Nyssa gave her a small grin.

In the next moment, they all whipped around as the Doctor let out an exultant whoop. "I've got it!"

They all rushed over, and found the Doctor holding up a syringe full of magenta liquid. Ayima was nowhere in evidence. Ayima soon appeared, a little male with an impressive splotch of iridescent purple on his face following on her heels. Ayima introduced the little male as Ronaldo. It soon became clear to Rose and the others that there was something severely wrong with Ronaldo, as he wove drunkenly from side to side. His eyes were hazy, and a trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his open mouth.

Ayima nudged Ronaldo forward, and looked at the Doctor with one kaleidoscope eye. "He will be the first test subject. He needs it the most. But if you have betrayed us, you won't live to regret it."

The Doctor nodded in silent acknowledgement, and bent to inject the little Qleyr. Rose walked over to stand by where the Doctor crouched. "When will we start to see some effect?" But to be honest, it came out more like 'when will we forget?'.

The Doctor glanced up at her, sympathy in his gaze. "Shouldn't take longer than fifteen minutes for the first signs of improvement."

They settled in to wait. Roughly fourteen minutes later, Ronaldo began to stir, the wounds marring his hide beginning to heal.

He shook himself from head to tail in a glowing ripple, and looked at the Doctor and Rose. "Oncoming Storm, Lady Tempest, I cannot thank you enough." His voice was higher, and sharper, with a rolling cadence to it.

The Doctor inclined his head politely, and Rose followed his lead. "Don't mention it." Rose said.

Ayima looked at them with grudging respect. The Doctor took off his Panama hat and put it against his lapels. "I think you'll find that if you put the remaining solution in a molecular replicator, you'll soon have enough for your entire species. As for me, I think I'll bring the rest of the Qleyr here with the TARDIS, so that we can leave as soon as the solution is ready."

Ayima blinked slowly. "I'll go with you, I think."

Eight hours later

The Doctor

Flipping the final lever that sent them spinning into the time vortex, the Doctor looked at where Rose was playing an absolutely cutthroat game of Sorry with Nyssa and Tegan. Earlier, several young Qleyr had watched them curiously, but they were gone now, to a cute little trading colony.

Rose must've felt him watching her, because she turned around, and smiled at him, eyes sparkling with mischief. She said something to Tegan and Nyssa, and stood up, coming over to lean against the console next to him. Abruptly she sobered. "We're going to forget now, aren't we?"

The Doctor smiled, just a bit. "The TARDIS is giving us time. Might as well make use of it."

Rose leaned into the Doctor's side. "I'm scared." She admitted. "Frightened that I'll mess up, and you'll die. I'm terrified of letting go of the knowledge."

The Doctor smiled sadly, pensively playing with a strand of Rose's hair. "It's very hard to let go of foreknowledge. Having that kind of power, and just letting go… it's nearly impossible."

The TARDIS hummed, projecting a warning into his brain, and the Doctor knew his time was nearly up. "Time's up."

Paradoxically, Rose smiled. She twined her arms around his neck, and kissed him. When Rose pulled away, the Doctor stared at her, drinking in the moment.

"Until next time." Rose whispered.

And for just a moment, the Doctor allowed himself to dream of a future with Rose Tyler. Until the TARDIS exerted pressure on his memories, and he forgot the future.


	5. Chapter 5

The three of them stood, facing each other with matching grins. Nyssa was wearing a blue dress today, and Rose a grey shirt with cut sleeves and jeans. The Doctor looked at the scanner, and flipped the dematerialisation switch with a flourish. "Where shall we go today? Io, perhaps? Or maybe the resort planet Midnight?"

Rose tucked a strand of hair behind one ear. "Actually," she said, "I was hoping to go to the flat. Maybe pack a bag."

The Doctor breathed a tiny sigh of relief as her second sentence was uttered. He smiled at her, and picked up his hat. "Wonderful. 2005 it is!"

He set the coordinates. The hum of the TARDIS scaled up, and through his bond with her, he could feel the faintest thread of mischief. Uh oh. That was never good. The Doctor jerked himself from the semiconscious state he always entered whenever he talked to the TARDIS. Not that there was usually much talking on her part. The TARDIS had better things to do; like listening to all that ever was or could be. Right as he did so, the TARDIS shuddered to a halt. The utterly alien song in his head died away to the faint thread it normally was. The Doctor realised that Rose had paused in her conversation with Nyssa and was looking at him strangely. "What?"

Rose watched him oddly for a moment. "You went kinda loopy for a minute there."

The Doctor smiled wryly. "I was talking to the TARDIS."

Rose accepted that with her usual grace. "Okay." She dashed up to the hat rack, snapped up her satchel, and paused at the door. "I'll be back in two ticks. Maybe we could go to Midnight after this?"

The Doctor smiled softly at her. "Yes, we can."

Nyssa darted from behind the console, and followed Rose. He heard them exchange witty remarks, and then they were out of the TARDIS. After waiting two minutes and thirty seven seconds, the Doctor decided that he might as well wait outside the TARDIS.

It didn't have anything to do with the fact that he'd be able to see Rose sooner. Not at all. Once outside, he moved about aimlessly, at times shooing away wayward pigeons. Then out of the corner of his eye, a flutter of white.

The Doctor turned his head, and was greeted by a grainy photo of Rose. Underneath were emblazoned the words 'MISSING' in large, block letters. The Doctor snatched it from the post, and read the dates. He dropped the flyer, and bolted for the stairs. The Doctor only hoped he'd be in time.

Rose unlocked the door, and let Nyssa in. Then she stepped over the threshold herself, shutting the door behind her. Nyssa was craning her neck to stare in rapt fascination at the plain, cluttered foyer. Rose patted her friend's hand. "Make yourself at home."

Then she left the Trakenite standing awkwardly in the entranceway. This would go smoothly, and then she would be out of here. Or so she fervently hoped. Rounding the corner, Rose came face to face with her mother. Almost straight off the bat, Rose started to think something was terribly wrong.

Jackie just gaped at her, mouthing words that stuck to her tongue. Her mug of tea fell to the ground, shattering. The sound echoed across the flat like a gunshot, as lukewarm tea seeped into Jackie's carpet slippers. "Mom, what's wrong? I haven't been gone that long. I even called."

Nyssa, hearing the noise of the mug shattering, emerged into the hall at the same time as the Doctor. Jackie's head snapped up, and she all but snarled. "Who the bleedin' hell are you two?" Rose dropped her head into her hands, moaning.

Nyssa had to hand it to the woman. Jackie was a terrifying force of nature. Within seconds of recovering from her initial shock, she had summoned the local authorities. Then she sat Rose and Nyssa down in two ratty old chairs. While they waited for the police officer, Jackie vacillated between interrogating a sulky Doctor, and fussing over Nyssa. From what Nyssa could parse, Jackie seemed to think that she and Rose were both kidnapped by the Doctor.

Right now Jackie was screaming at a huddled Rose, and occasionally throwing pleas to the policeman. "Your job in smithereens, and what do you do? You disappear for an entire year! Only one phone call, not one visit, not even a note! I thought you were kidnapped or worse!" The last was an enraged bellow that made both Rose and the Doctor jump, and Nyssa flinch.

Jackie turned to the rather embarrassed policeman. "And I mean, travelling, that's no sort of answer. She won't tell me. You ask her."

The officer obligingly leaned toward Rose, seemingly more to get away from Jackie than anything else. But before he could say anything, Rose ran a hand through her hair, looking frustrated and defiant. "But that's what I was doing!"

Jackie advanced on Rose with a snarl, jabbing a finger at her. "With your passport still in the drawer? It's just one lie after another with you!"

Rose shrank into herself, and the Doctor stepped in front of her as much as the chair would allow. Nyssa secretly wondered what the heck Jackie had done to Rose. Nyssa had seen Rose face down the barrels of energy weapons with more confidence than she did now. "I meant to phone. I really did. I just forgot."

Jackie looked like her head was about to rupture like an overripe melon. "For an entire year? And I am just left sitting here. I don't believe you. Why won't you tell me where you've been?"

Rose sank back into the chair cushions, and Nyssa could guess at her thoughts. Probably somewhere along the lines of: the things I've seen, no one would believe them. Then the Doctor piped up, and Nyssa resisted the urge to cover her face. She really hated the Doctor's complete inability to keep his gob shut in hostile situations. "Actually." Said the Doctor. "That might be my fault. I offered Rose a chance to be my traveling companion."

The policeman looked about ready to thunk his head into the nearest hard surface. "When you say 'traveling companion', does that imply a sexual relationship?"

"No!" Rose and the Doctor both exclaimed in apparent horror. But Nyssa didn't miss the speculative look that Rose and the Doctor exchanged. She nearly burst out laughing at the miniature silent conversation contained there.

Jackie flounced up to the Doctor, who watched her levelly, with none of the fear he should have had, in Nyssa's opinion. Jackie poked her index finger in the chest of his cricket jumper. "No? Then I demand to know what the heck is going on. Because you waltz in here, all charm and smiles, pretending to be a doctor-"

The Doctor cut across her, a small, amused smile playing across his lips. "I am a Doctor."

Jackie glared at him, her eyes promising unpleasant things to come. "Prove it! Stitch this, mate!"

Then she slapped him. A second later, the Doctor was bent double, one hand pressed to his face. Not long after that, the Doctor disappeared somewhere. Jackie wrapped Rose in a hug, and as Nyssa watched the tears streaming down her friend's face, rarely had Nyssa felt more out of place.

The three of them perched on the tar and graffiti splashed rooftop. Nyssa sat to his right, ankles crossed primly in her dress. Rose sprawled out on his other side, the sun bleaching her hair golden and turning her eyes the same shade. Rose sighed, and turned her head to look at the Doctor. "I can't tell her, I literally can't ever tell her, and she'll never forgive me. Plus I missed a year. Was it good?"

There was a touch of wistfulness to her last sentence that made the Doctor's hearts ache. Immediately resolving to cheer her up, the Doctor smiled. "Middling. Not much happened here, but elsewhere…" He quickly rattled off a string of figures.

Rose smiled just a little, and sat up. She affectionately bumped him with her shoulder. "You're useless."

The Doctor's only response was to lightly squeeze her hand. He shook his head in mock-sadness. "Over a thousand years of life, and never once have I been slapped by someone's mother."

Rose let out a wry laugh. "It would be my mum." Then the rest of his statement appeared to catch up with her. "Wait. Over a thousand years? That's how old you are?" She made a show of looking him up and down. "You don't look a day over two hundred and fifty."

The Doctor coughed in surprise, and Nyssa looked at Rose with amusement. "Rose, for a species that can live for anything from five thousand to upwards of twenty thousand years, two hundred and fifty is barely the age of majority."

Rose sat there, blinking at him. After a long time, she spoke. "What you're telling me, Nyssa, is that there are Time Lords walking around who are twice the age of human civilisation?" Nyssa nodded, smiling. She loved baffling Rose. Nyssa had been attempting to teach Rose to repair the chameleon circuit for the past two weeks, and Rose was learning fast.

Sliding off of the air vent she was lying on, Rose popped to her feet, shaking her head. "Every conversation with you two just goes completely mental. There's no one else I can talk to. Or rather, there is, but she's in Heathrow in the eighties. I've seen all that stuff out there, the size of it all, and I can't say a word to anyone. Aliens and spaceships and things. I'm the only person on planet earth who knows about them."

The Doctor thought of all his previous companions, and silently begged to differ. At that precise moment, an impressive oval-shaped ship the colour of dull pewter zoomed directly overhead, belching choking grey smoke and spitting twenty-foot blue flames. They all instinctively flattened themselves to the rooftop. The building shook like a leaf in a hurricane, and then the ship was away, continuing its drunken bumblebee flight path. It twisted wildly to and fro, as if it were a living thing trying to escape. It flew low over London, taking a large chunk of Big Ben with it before finally dropping into the Thames with a giant splash that the Doctor was certain they could all see from here.

The Doctor leapt to his feet, feeling a growing excitement. For the first time in a long time, no errant flashes of time danced before his eyes, nor could he feel the persistent buzz of a fixed point. It was… refreshing. He offered a hand to both Rose and Nyssa in turn, and they stood up.

Nyssa looked at Rose with one eyebrow raised. "I think it would be a miracle if you're the only human on earth knowing about alien life by tonight."

Rose snorted. "I think you're right." They turned and took off down the stairs.

They stopped right behind the barricade, in between a couple of parked cars with swearing drivers. Those cars shouldn't have been parked, nor should all the cars behind them for a quarter mile. But they were, thanks to the soldiers milling about next to their jeeps. Nyssa was looking around with quiet fascination, Rose was craning her neck to gaze around her in growing frustration, and the Doctor? He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, a boyish grin on his face that made him look so damn _young_. After a second, he stopped his bouncing to state the incredibly obvious. "This whole place is completely blocked off."

Nyssa shot him a sugary sweet smile. "Thank you. That information was very useful."

The Doctor scowled for just a second as he realised he'd been sassed. Rose let out a tiny snicker. Then her frustration started coming back. "We're miles from the centre. The whole place must be gridlocked."

The Doctor suddenly grinned. "This is brilliant!"

Rose smiled affectionately and squeezed his hand. Seeing him in his element like this, and feeling this way about him, she could almost believe that there was a connection between her blocked memories and the dreams she'd been having. "Did you know this was going to happen?"

The Doctor shook his head, his gaze sparkling with happiness. "Not in the slightest. Makes a nice change, don't you think?"

Nyssa looked at him with open suspicion, and Rose could understand the feeling, considering what she knew of his time senses. "Did you recognise the ship? Did you see where it crashed?" Nyssa asked in rapid fire succession.

The Doctor shook his head, looking inordinately pleased. "Not at all."

"So glad I've got you, then." Rose snarked.

The Doctor smirked at her, seemingly enjoying their banter as much as she did. "I'll bet."

The Doctor nodded toward the barricade, where soldiers were unloading crates of guns and ammunition. "This is the reason I travel. To see history unfolding right in front of me."

Rose shot him an impatient glance. "Let's go see it, then!" She said pointedly.

The Doctor frowned. "Let's not, and say we didn't. This celery looks much better not covered in blood." Rose exchanged an exasperated glance with Nyssa. He hadn't seemed so focused on his celery last week when he'd been shot and had nearly regenerated.

Time to switch tacks. "But we have the TARDIS."

It was the Doctor's turn to frown. "I'd rather not have her end up in the hands of the military. Can you imagine what that would do to the timelines?"

Rose was suddenly grateful to Nyssa for her breakneck course in TARDIS maintenance. "But, Doctor, the TARDIS chooses who she fits the Rassilon imprimatur with. That means that no one would be able to fly her."

The Doctor suddenly beamed at Rose. "Good point! I was planning on taking her out later. But let's go back to your mum's first. There's something I want to accomplish."

"Getting pummelled into your next regeneration?" Rose muttered mutinously.

Nyssa shot her an amused look, and the Doctor smiled gently at her. "The area will be lousy with news crews. And what does that mean? Plenty of news coverage." Rose nodded, though she still secretly believed that the Doctor had a death wish. They departed.

Back at the flat, Nyssa settled into the squashy, broken down chair, and watched Rose and the Doctor with amusement and some concern. The Doctor had settled for the other chair, and Rose had opted to sit on the floor, leaning against the Doctor's legs. Jackie had made a strangled noise like a dying walrus when she saw this.

In Nyssa's estimation, the Doctor was definitely playing with fire. Then again, this was the Doctor and Rose Tyler. Excessive physical contact was their modus operandi.

The Doctor rested his chin on his hand, and picked up the remote, tuning the TV. It switched to a news channel, and as far as Nyssa could tell, showed only things they'd already seen. Spaceship crashed in the Thames, Big Ben in smithereens, etc. Next the picture switched to masses of struggling people and several policemen in riot gear.

A different reporter droned on in an equally boring voice. "-Police reinforcements are called in from across the country as riots, looting, and civil disturbances occur.-"

Nyssa winced slightly. Incredible how much chaos one crashed ship could cause on a less-developed planet.

The camera shifted again, panning in on the face of a average-looking male reporter. "-A helpline has been set up. If you suspect family or friends of being aliens or being under the influence of aliens, please call-" His voice cut off as the Doctor hastily changed the channel. Nyssa shot him an amused look, and Rose smirked at him.

On the telly, a woman with a harried expression sat shuffling through a pile of papers. "-Until then, all flights in American airspace are grounded."

Click. The Doctor changed the channel back to the first one. It showed the same man in front of Thames, then panned past him to do a closeup of the river. A stretcher covered with a sheet was being hauled away. Then it panned back to the reporter. "-Right now they're pulling a body out of the Thames. No word as to whether or not it's extraterrestrial in origin."

Click. The harried woman again. "-The president and his Secretary General will address the nation. In the meantime, the president asks that people watch the skies."

Another click, and the telly switched over to the first channel. By now, a herd of people who Nyssa assumed were Jackie's family and friends had arrived. One dark-haired woman made several speculative statements as to whether or not Rose and the Doctor were shagging, not realising that, thanks to the TARDIS, they could both understand her. Rose made a choking noise, and the Doctor patted her on the back. Jackie's eyes narrowed, focusing on the physical contact with predatory intent. At that moment, a cacophony of loud voices erupted, and the Doctor sighed. "Please keep it down? I'm trying to listen."

They obediently piped down, but Jackie shot the Doctor a murderous glare. If looks could kill, he'd have been ashes. "The body is being transferred to a secure UNIT location, whereabouts unknown."

Abruptly the screen changed to a cooking channel touting spacecraft shaped cakes. This was not because of anything that the Doctor did, but rather because of a tiny child who had crawled onto the Doctor's lap, and wrested control over the remote. The Doctor gently pried small fingers from the controls, and changed the channel.

The news channel was back. "-Whitehall is denying everything. No one knows if it's alive or dead. It's been brought here, to Albion hospital. All the roads closest to the river have been closed down.-"

The toddler hopped down, and the Doctor patiently shooed him away from the TV. Rose had tipped her head back, and was watching the Doctor upside down with an affectionate expression. Nyssa really hoped Jackie didn't see.

"-I'm being told that General Astrid is now entering the hospital. The building has been evacuated, the patients moved onto the streets. The police are still denying whether or not there is a alien body contained within those walls.-"

The Doctor sighed, stretching. Nyssa was busy mentally cataloging the repairs to the chameleon circuit. The Doctor whispered something in Rose's ear, and she grinned mischievously.

He strode through the halls, soldiers snapping to attention as he passed. This was a disaster waiting to happen, and the General was determined to prevent it from turning into one. Entering the mortuary, he spoke to the pretty young lab tech. "Well, let's see it."

The tech shot him a wary look full of warning, and wordlessly lifted the sheet. The General took two steps back, his mouth falling open. "Good god." He breathed. "And that's not a hoax or a dummy or...?"

The tech shook her head, eyes wide. "No. I've X-rayed the skull, and it's wired up inside like nothing I've ever seen before. This is no hoax."

The General's fists clenched. "I'm having a team of experts flown in. Until then, get that thing out of sight." He practically spit the last few words. The lab tech hurried to comply.

Later, as he left, the General heard the tech's pleasant tones following him. "Excuse me, sir, I know it's a state of emergency, and there's a lot of rumour flying around, but is it true, what they're saying? About the prime minister?" His lips tightened momentarily before he turned and marched away.

They'd escaped from Jackie by the skin of their teeth. Thank Omega that she'd been distracted. Though a few of the people who had noticed the three of them sneaking out had made several unkind references to, ahem, fun. Now, as they entered the TARDIS, the Doctor noted Rose whispering something, presumably to the TARDIS. The Doctor smiled, intrigued by whatever Rose was planning. Nyssa turned and walked backwards toward the hall that lead to her and Rose's rooms. "I'm going to go change."

Rose smiled at her, and the smile instantly made the Doctor suspicious. "Have fun."

The instant Nyssa was out of earshot, the Doctor looked at Rose sternly. "Give."

Rose grinned at him, eyes twinkling with mirth. "You know how Nyssa can't run in those heels? Well, I'm doing her a favour."

At that very moment, a yell of shock and bewilderment could be heard. "What on Traken happened to my clothes?"

Rose was biting her lip, trying hard not to laugh. In due time, Nyssa emerged, carrying a blue hoodie, a pair of washed out jeans, a Union Jack t-shirt, and a pair of blue converse. She held the bundle aloft. "On second thought, Rose, I'm keeping your wardrobe."

Then she disappeared without a backwards glance. The Doctor stared after her in stunned silence, while Rose and the TARDIS were both expressing their amusement in their own ways. The Doctor shook his head, still somewhat shocked. Five minutes later, Nyssa entered the console room, dressed, with her hair tucked under a beanie. The Doctor started his walk around the console, priming the TARDIS for takeoff, and setting the coordinates. Rose followed him, her smile giving way to a thoughtfully troubled expression. "What I don't get is why someone graffiti 'Bad Wolf' on the side of the TARDIS. The very same words we've been seeing for weeks."

She paused, a hand tangled in a hank of hair as if toying with ripping it out. "And I've been having these dreams, too. Dreams of golden fire, and the most beautiful, alien song. And the words, forever spiralling off a blank metal wall."

The Doctor kept his face blank, even as a shiver ran through him. He'd been having dreams, too. Every time, he would be surrounded by Daleks, waiting to die. Then the TARDIS would begin to materialise, and the doors would blow open in a wash of golden flame. The Doctor pasted a smile on his face with an effort. "I'm sure it's nothing. In any case, the vortex will soon take care of the paint."

Rose crossed her arms, and stomped off to go stand by Nyssa. With a sigh, the Doctor flipped the dematerialisation switch, and tried to get lost in the hypnotic motion of the TARDIS. Tried not to think, and especially not to feel. People said Time Lords were above emotion, but that simply wasn't true. And right now, the Doctor was scared. Properly scared.

For some reason, this trip was very rough. Almost immediately, the TARDIS started bucking and rolling, sending Nyssa and Rose staggering away from each other. Then the TARDIS materialised with a giant crash, sending the three of them to the floor. Rose and the Doctor landed next to each other, both laughing like idiots. Nyssa nearly knocked over the hat rack in her fall, and after a second, she joined in. The Doctor leapt to his feet, grinning. In spite of everything, this never got old.

Harriet was having a bad day. In spite of that, she tried to stay positive. Gingerly placing the coffee on the secretary's desk, she smiled at him. "I bet no one's brought you a coffee."

He rubbed the grit from his eyes and sighed, peering at her. "I'm sorry, you still can't go in."

Harriet let out a forced laugh. "Damn, you've seen through my cunning plan."

The secretary got to his feet with a stretch and a sigh. "Look, it's impossible."

"Not even for two minutes?" Harriet wheedled. "I don't get many chances to walk these halls. I'm hardly one of the babes, just a faithful backbencher. I know that a brave new world has landed right on our doorstep, and that's wonderful." She shuffled her feet restlessly, then amended with a sigh. "Probably wonderful. But I need to enter these papers."

The door flew open with a bang, and Joseph Greene bustled out. Harriet all but pounced on the chance. "Mr. Greene, I know you're busy, but could you please put this on the agenda for the next council meeting?"

Greene briefly raked his gaze over Harriet in a predatory, dismissive gesture. Then he focused his little, piggy eyes on the papers. "What is it?"

Once again Harriet jumped on the chance, hardly believing her luck. "Cottage hospitals. I've worked out a system whereby cottage hospitals do not have to excluded from the standards of excellence. You see, my mother is in the Flydell infirmary. That's my constituency title. It's a tiny little place. You wouldn't know about-"

Greene, who had been nodding vacantly, promptly exploded in a burst of apparent anger. "By the saints, woman! Get some perspective!"

Harriet shrank back, bumping into the secretary. Then the three rotund government officials left(the secretary with them), the woman glaring at Harriet in a hungry, spine chilling fashion that was very much out of place on the face of a chubby forty-something who looked more like someone's favourite aunt. Shivering, Harriet straightened her papers. Her gaze happened to fall on the door, which was hanging ajar. An idea began to form in Harriet's head.

Hastily looking left and right, she scurried into the conference room. A scarlet briefcase lay on the polished mahogany table, looking vaguely official and subtly important. Harriet cracked it open, intending to slip the papers inside. Embossed golden lettering caught her eye.

Emergency protocols, they read. Harriet could think of a million good reasons why she shouldn't, but for some reason, today she was flouting every single rule she'd made for herself. She sat down to read.

Some small part of Rose still rankled over the Doctor's complete dismissal of her concerns. Shaking her head, Rose followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS, as did Nyssa. Two steps outside the TARDIS, before her eyes adjusted to the gloom, Rose ran into the Doctor, knocking him forward a step. They were in a room piled high with precarious stacks of junk. Random outdated health and wellbeing posters were sticky taped to the walls. In short, it looked like where hospital equipment went to die.

The Doctor wove his way through the stacks of rubbish, and started sonicking the lock pad. The hum of the sonic screwdriver started out almost deafening in the oppressive silence. The Doctor swiftly shushed it, and to Rose's great surprise, it obeyed. The Doctor shot them a smug little smile. Clearly this was a new trick.

The Doctor inclined his head towards the door, indicating that Rose and Nyssa should follow. Exchanging a glance, they followed the Doctor. Only to emerge into a room filled with rather bewildered armed soldiers. The air was rife with the sound of guns cocking as the soldiers scrambled to get a weapon between them and the intruders. Within seconds, the three of them had a dozen guns pointed their way. Grinning happily, Rose raised her hands in the air. The Doctor and Nyssa followed suit.


End file.
